Remembering A Time from the Past
by Sakura-Misukai-Kyohaku
Summary: A fanfic for Meiling's birthday... She's just talking about a birthday from a previous year... This is the first fanfic I've ever completed so the ending is a bit... blah... The story seems a bit depressing(?) at parts too...


Remembering A Time from the Past  
By: Sakura -Misukai -Kyohaku  
~*~*~~*~*~~*~*~  
(Point of View: Third person)  
"So, what is there to do today?" asked Tomoyo to her friends, whom were all gathered at the Daidouji mansion.  
Tomoyo, Syaoran, Sakura, Meiling, Eriol, Kero-chan, Nakuru, and Spinel Sun had decided to meet up since it was a dull, dull summer day. They were all sprawled around a huge room at Tomoyo's house, drinking tea and eating cookies. There wasn't much else to do, in any case.   
Tomoyo cross-legged on the floor in the middle of the room; Sakura sat in comfortable chair near a table piled high with sweets, Syaoran sat beside her; Eriol reclined on a couch; Spinel Sun and Kero-chan both lay on the bed (it was a guest room); Nakuru... well, she traveled around in general; and Meiling? ... she sat, strangely quiet, on a pillow, leaning against the wall.   
"Hmm... I don't know... Ever since all those Clow cards were captured and transformed to Sakura cards, there hasn't been much to do," replied Sakura. She sighed to herself; sometimes she actually wished that Eriol would cause more havoc, just so they'd have something to do.  
Eriol shifted from his position on Tomoyo's couch. Even HE was bored. This was an EXTREME matter; after all, we're talking about ERIOL.   
"LET'S GO FIND TOOOOUUUUUYYAAAAA!!!!" shouted Nakuru enthusiastically. She jumped up started towards the door. "SAKURA-SAAAAAAAANNNNN, YOU KNOW WHERE HE IS RIIIGGGGHHHHTTTT???!!!!"  
Everyone except Suppi-chan and Kero-chan sweatdropped; Suppi was too involved in a book, and Kero-chan was wolfing down cookies as fast as he could reach for them.  
"Um, actually, when Onii-chan heard that Eriol-san and Nakuru-san were going to be here today at breakfast, he suddenly jumped up and raced out the door. I have no idea where he is." Sakura wore a puzzled look on her face.  
Nakuru looked confused as well. "WHY WOULD TOOUUUUYYYAAAA WANT TO DISAPPPPPPEEEEAARRREEEE LIKE THAT IF HE knew I WAS GOING TO BE HEEEEEERRRRREEE???!!!!"  
Spinel Sun looked up from his book and reached for his sugar-less tea. "Because he doesn't want to be near you."  
"BUTTTTTTTTT-"  
"Ahem!" Syaoran cut her off mid-extra-long-syllable. "Let's just think of something to do." He sat tiredly and vaguely wondered if this day would ever end, though the answer "no" came rather quickly...  
"Why don't we tell a story?" suggested Sakura.  
"Gyeash, wetz ell ac ory," mumbled Kero-chan, obviously with his mouth full. He swallowed. "Who's going to tell one though?"  
Everyone looked around, then at each other.   
Finally, Meiling took a deep breath and spoke. "I'll tell one... This is about a time last year when I was still in Hong Kong... The time of my birthday..."  
The rest of the group settled themselves comfortably. Books, tea, and even cookies were set aside. All attention was focused on Meiling.  
~*~*~  
(Point of View: First person, Meiling)  
I sat below a tall tree, the only shade in the bright schoolyard. It was break, and I was all alone. I never hung out with the other girls; never sat with them or exchanged gossip. It was always just me... Before, it used to be Syaoran and I, but then he left... He went back to Japan, to Sakura.  
So there I was, a few days before my birthday... Feeling lonely and sad...   
I was glad when the bell rang; glad I could return to the classroom where it wouldn't be so obvious... Not that it really helped. For the rest of the day I merely stared blankly at walls, chalkboards, and worksheets. My mind was elsewhere.  
When school was over, I walked home slowly, uncaringly... There was no reason for me to hurry; all that was waiting for me was chores and training. As I walked, I stared down at the cement sidewalk, noticing small details such as weathering and cracks, things most would not have noticed. Eventually I reached my home.  
Mother was concerned about me, I could tell... The way she kept shooting glances at me, asking me if I was okay, offering me something to eat... I declined and denied everything however.  
Instead, I went through my usual daily doings... Things I used to enjoy, but had now loss their meaning. I had no idea why either. I didn't understand why I was so depressed. This wasn't exactly normal Li Meiling behavior. I should have been energetic, happy... Not like... this...  
The next day passed by, seemingly identical to the day before... Going to school, coming home, moping around... Everything was a blur. My room became my sanctuary... The bed... my desk... a small television... a stereo... my closet of clothes... Everyday I came home to that.   
After another dark day, Mother tried, once again, to cheer me up... I had been in my room, lying on my bed and staring at the ceiling for two hours or so, when she knocked on the door.  
"Come in," I said in soft voice, not bothering to get up.  
The door opened and Mother glided in. She always seemed to do that, float into a room and change the atmosphere to something more buoyant... She sat at the edge of my bed.  
"Meiling, what is the matter? And do not tell me it is nothing. I will not have you lie to me like that." She spoke in Chinese with an equally soft voice.   
"It is..." I trailed off... I didn't know what to say. What WAS there to say? ... "I feel sad, but I don't know why..."  
She stared at me intently. "It will be your birthday soon, will it not?"  
I nodded.  
"Why don't you have a birthday party? You can invite anyone you want... A few friends from school perhaps?"   
I jerked up from my sleeping position. "Wha-"  
"I'm serious Meiling. I don't ever remember you having a party for yourself... You were always planning ones for your cousin... Why not have one now?" She looked expectantly at me.  
In side I was laughing darkly to myself. Invite a few friends from school? Who? ... The trees? The grass? My desk? ... Those were my only school friends... But soon an idea formed... "Could I invite anyone I wanted?"  
"If you wish for them to come..." She looked at me a bit strangely.   
"V-very well... I-I'll make some plans..." I told her, surprised at my own voice.  
She then left the room, smiling with something that I assume was relief. I, however, began to plan...   
The only friends I ever truly had were not here, they were in... Japan... That was why I was so lonely, I realized. I needed my TRUE friends... My friends and classmates from Japan... Mother said I could invite whom I wanted... I wanted THEM to come... They would... would they not? ... For me?  
~*~*~  
(Point of View: Third person)  
Kero-chan reached over for a cookie. "Oh yeah, this is about that birthday party of yours, right? I remember about that... Sakura was making some pancakes for me when the letter came..." He sighed, those had been really good pancakes...  
"Well, if we already know this story, then why are we still talking about it?" asked Spinel Sun. He looked bored once again and glanced longingly at the book that Eriol had snatched from him.   
Syaoran sighed. "That's because we have nothing else to do..."  
Tomoyo nodded. "And besides, I DO want to here Meiling-chan's story... I know what happened, but hearing it from her is very different."  
"I AGREEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!! MEILING-SANNNNNNN, YOU'LL FINISH YOUR STORY, RIGHHHHHHHHTTTTT?!?!?!?!?" Nakuru was still very jumpy... But that is only expected...  
Eriol sighed; sometimes even HE doubted his judgment for creating Nakuru... But he supposed that listening to Meiling would be something to make the time past somewhat quicker.  
Sakura smiled at Meiling. "Please continue Meiling-chan."  
Meiling smiled back. "There isn't much more to say..."  
~*~*~  
(Point of View: First person, Meiling)  
For the next few days, I busied myself with party preparations; no time was left for self-pity. There were invitations to send out, food to cater, decorations to set up, activities to plan... I wanted to do this all myself... This was for my friends... The ones that always stood beside me, even when I acted like a stubborn brat...  
Finally the day came, my birthday, the twenty-eighth of March. I woke up early that morning, going back to my old habits of rising before the sun. I sat in my bed thinking to myself that today was the day... I didn't spend much time there, however... I had already said that I was going to meet everyone at the airport...   
I had invited just about everyone in our class... And was pleased when everyone replied with a letter that stated that they could come...   
At the airport, I sat and waiting tensely, staring at my watch every few seconds. I began to worry about those silly things, ideas, that always seem to come up when you least want them to: What if everyone thought I was different, someone new and unworthy of their friendship; or what if I was EXACTLY the same? Too childish for anyone to be near... I know I was being foolish... But...   
Luckily everyone arrived in but a small number of minutes later. I found soon that nothing else mattered. We all hugged and cried (the girls at least) and told each other that life was different and not quite so glamorous without each other. Just re-meeting everyone took fifteen minutes... But I was finally happy....  
Finally we started on out way. It took quite a few cars too drive everyone to my house... All throughout the trip I shivered with excitement. When we reached my house, everyone (except Syaoran, of course) took a few minutes to ooh and ahh... I was merely glad that they were enjoying themselves...  
The rest of the day flew by as if by a sparrow's wings... We ate, talked, laughed... I'll never forget that day...   
I must say that I WAS a bit tearful when it was time for everyone to leave... But this time I knew that I didn't have to be sad... We'd see each other again soon, that was a promise.  
~*~*~  
(Point of View: Third person)  
Meiling finished her story to an applauding audience. "Thank you." she said quietly.  
Eventually, the last remnants of Meiling's story faded and talk of boredom resumed. (Even Nakuru had began her bouncing route once again....) But Meiling was separate from all this... She was lost in a memory of the past....  
The end... Of this story anyway...  
~*~*~~*~*~~*~*~  
Hello, how is everyone???? This is the FIRST fanfic that I've ever completed, so I know it's not the best... Especially the ending... It was kinda choppy.. That the problem with me and fanfics... I lose interest of them in the end... I'm lucky I finished this one...  
But REALLY, what did you think? Please send comment to me at SakuraAngelStar@asianhome.net... I would be forever grateful... As most fanfic writers are...  
Oh yes, disclaimers: Cardcaptor Sakura belongs to CLAMP, which includes all characters... The fanfic idea belongs to ME however...  
Anything else? No? Well, bye now then....  
It is now: March 27th, 2001 ; Tuesday ; 9:55PM  
  



End file.
